The Irish and British governments have agreed that in the coming weeks it is “absolutely essential” that the Northern parties devise a “comprehensive” means of breaking the logjam threatening the stability of the powersharing Northern Executive.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan met the Northern Secretary, Theresa Villiers, in England at the weekend to discuss the impact of divisive issues such as welfare reform and parading on the future of the Stormont administration.
As the DUP and Sinn Féin in particular remain deadlocked on these and other issues, Mr Flanagan told the British-Irish Association in Oxford on Saturday that all-inclusive talks were the only way forward.
"In the months ahead, and in facing current challenges, there is no viable alternative to the early resumption of political talks and the Irish Government is committed to using its influence and resources to achieve that objective," he said in Pembroke College.
Mr Flanagan said the governments were putting pressure on the parties to deal with a range of divisive issues such as welfare reform, the past, parades and flags in an all-embracing way. He said this week Ms Villiers outlined proposals to try to end the stalemate.
"I would be very concerned if the logjam was to continue indefinitely," Mr Flanagan added. "I am nevertheless optimistic, following my talks with the secretary of state, that there is a plan in place, that there is a certain avenue in the form of an approach that she will be seeking agreement upon and I will be keeping in close contact with her as well as in close contact with the parties in Northern Ireland. "
Mr Flanagan said he would soon meet First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness to see if there was a willingness to break the deadlock.
On Saturday night, the Minister was the keynote speaker at the British-Irish Association conference.
For more than 40 years, alternating annually between Cambridge and Oxford, the association has brought together politicians, academics, clergy, community workers and journalists to discuss politics in the North.
Mr Flanagan said there was a risk that the political process in Northern Ireland could settle for a "negative peace . . . a peace that delivers an absence or abatement of violence but not much more.
“We must hold ourselves to a higher standard, take heart from how much progress we have made and reaffirm effective partnership government that finds solutions to economic, social and political issues.
“Many people expressed concern that support for the principles that brought us through the peace process is weakening. This is very troubling but it tallies with the concerns expressed by the Irish Government over the past year as politics in Northern Ireland has atrophied across a range of issues,” he added.
“I am concerned that the concept of culture, which should be about liberating perspectives and connecting people, is being used as an instrument to divide communities.”
